This easy one-pan breakfast casserole recipe uses creamy cottage cheese to create a protein-packed savory breakfast. My family loves eating this and I love that it’s full of healthy proteins, fats, and nutrients (without the grains).
Ever since I discovered a better-for-you cottage cheese without fillers or carrageenan our menu includes cottage cheese again. You’ll find it in some grocery stores as the Good Culture Brand.
Best Breakfast Casserole for a Crowd
It’s tricky to find a gluten-free/grain-free breakfast casserole recipe that also has the classic custardy lightness. It turns out cottage cheese blended with the eggs does quite well. Like most of my favorite egg recipes, this easy breakfast casserole recipe is quick to throw together. It also doesn’t get many dishes dirty (just the blender and one pan).
Plus it’s endlessly versatile and easy to adapt, just change out the cheese, and meat, or even add different veggies. Anytime I have spinach starting to wilt in the fridge or leftover sautéed veggies, I know it’s time for eggs for breakfast. After all, repurposing leftovers is a busy mom’s go-to and a great way to provide variety without breaking the budget.
Make It Your Own Breakfast Bake
The recipe below is one of my family’s favorite flavor combinations, but feel free to change things up! We really like the garlicky onion flavor, but you can reduce the garlic and onion powder to 1/2 teaspoon each if preferred. I also don’t add salt because I find the cheese has enough. If you’re using less salty cheese or just prefer more, try adding 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Pepperjack, Mozzarella, cheddar cheese, and Swiss cheese are a few good options.
I use crispy bacon here but you could also try pork sausage or breakfast sausage. Cook the sausage in a large skillet until golden brown. Then drain and add the cooked sausage to the egg mixture. Beef or even Italian sausage could also work in this egg casserole.
If you want to add some more carbs (without the grains), sweet potato or shredded hash browns work well. You can use fresh or frozen hash browns (that have been thawed). I mix the hash browns in with the veggies and spread them in the bottom of the casserole dish.
For veggies, saute some diced bell peppers or onion over medium-heat. This adds another layer of flavor! You can also add some spice with black pepper, red pepper, or even hot sauce. Or try adding some fresh herbs from the garden or Italian seasoning. There are really so many options here!
Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole
This recipe can be made the night before and reheated the next morning (or even the day after). Just refrigerate the egg mixture in a covered container, then pour it into a casserole dish right before baking. It makes for the perfect overnight breakfast casserole for brunch or holidays like Christmas morning and Easter. This is often my go-to recipe for over overnight guests, or feeding a crowd (which is just a weekday at my house!).
If you need an on-the-go option, pour the breakfast casserole into muffin cups for a single-serving portable option.
Unfortunately, I don’t think this recipe would freeze well due to the cottage cheese, but if you try it and it works, let me know!
But Is Cheese Really “Healthy”?
We often eat eggs in the morning, but we did avoid dairy while we were healing my son’s dairy allergy and my autoimmune disease. Now we’re all doing well with bringing some dairy (from quality grass-fed sources) into the regular meal rotation. This means a cheesy breakfast casserole is possible again (something we went without for many years).
I tackle the controversy about whether or not dairy is a healthy food here. My opinion remains that a healthy diet is all about variety and observing how you feel when eating certain foods. If you’re looking for a dairy-free option, try this vegetable frittata recipe or ham and egg breakfast cups. Both are also easy to whip up, make ahead in quantity, or even freeze!
P.S. Don’t have a good cottage cheese option by you? Take matters into your own hands and make your own with this at-home cheese-making kit. This would be a great project to do with the kids!
Cheesy Breakfast Casserole Recipe
Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz cottage cheese
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 8 slices bacon (cooked and crumbled, optional)
- 4 green onions (thinly sliced)
- 8 oz shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9X13 baking dish with coconut or olive oil.
- In a blender or food processor, puree the cottage cheese until smooth.
- Add the eggs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and onion powder and pulse until combined.
- Add the bacon and green onions if using and stir by hand to combine.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Top with cheese and return to oven until just melted.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Notes
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Do you have a favorite grain-free breakfast casserole recipe? How would you adapt this recipe? I’d love to hear!
How many servings will this make?
Needs improvement. The onion and (especially) the garlic are far too overpowering at 1 tsp each. The recipe calls for no salt or pepper, which is unusual, and needed. Also the 9×13 pan the recipe calls for us too large, in my opinion. It makes for a thin, garlicy casserole. I like the cottage cheese in it. Would adjust things if I made it again.
Tried this the other day. Very yummy and I was surprised with the flavor of the cottage cheese. My breakfast casserole uses 1 dozen eggs, ground sausage, and cheese over shredded potatoes. Gonna try to see how it turns out next time using sweet potatoes.
Oh wow!!! I am so excited to see this recipe! I can hardly wait to try it. Thank you so much! I do not have a casserole but I do omelets with veggies, cheese, herbs, spices, etc. Cook veggies or mix in with the beaten eggs.
This looks so good to me. I have a serious weakness for all things savory and breakfasty, especially if they involve cheese and eggs.
Good to see a good cottage cheese is available. Im wondering about the other 2 cheeses….? Do you have recommendations for grass feed parm cheese and any other cheeses u have in the recipe? Thank you.
I get most of our cheese locally when possible and occasionally here.
I was curious how you healed your son’s dairy allergy. I didn’t know it was curable. Do you have a post on it? Thanks for all you do.
I wrote about it a little here: https://wellnessmama.com/128247/gaps-diet/
I make a similar recipe like yours BUT it’s called crustless quiche so easy and quick. I use ham slices instead of bacon and top the quiche with sliced tomatoes. This is good for lunch and supper time.
I make a similar recipe though I don’t blend the eggs and cottage cheese, only whisk them. We make a big batch in muffin cups and they freeze great. It’s healthy and quick!
Hey Mama,
Despite the fact that I personally do not like eggs, and I am a vegan, I was invited to a potluck event just recently, most of the people attending are NOT vegans. I decided to try something I thought they would enjoy and this was a big hit. I even had people coming up to me, asking me about the recipe, so I directed them to your site. Thanks again.
A diet that is heavily favors animal products to the exclusion of at least some grain and similar carbs may be a sign of a person suffering from digestive issues or overall digestive weakness caused probably by the depredations of modern medical treatments (abuse). Unless a person is an aboriginal, we evolved to be able to digest grain, properly prepared. It is not a simple matter of saying that 10,000 or so years of grain eating are dwarfed by the length of pre-grain era. There was a rush of evolution during those 10,000 years. We were meant to consume some heavy carbs in addition to some animal foods. JMO. Thank you for publishing my dissenting view.
My humble opinion is that the grains are not nearly as detrimental to our health as are the things that are done to many grains grown commercially. I can and do eat ancient grains that are sprouted before cooking and are organic but I cannot tolerate regular flour. The genetic modifications made to commercial wheat so it can tolerate chemical baths to suppress weeds or, perhaps something done after harvesting, makes it indigestible to my system. I’m definitely not a scientist, I just know my own body.
To Samia and Lexie (comment below Samia’s): IMO it is true that modern wheat has had its’ natural life hybridized out of it plus had its’ second life sprayed out of it with pesticides etc. so it is no wonder so many have wheat allergies these days. Jovial Foods, in response to their daughter having a severe wheat allergy, started growing an ancient version of wheat organically which I like. It cooks/bakes somewhat differently from modern stripped wheat. In addition, they sell organic canned goods such as tomatoes, sauces and beans all canned in glass. They have an on-line site and will ship to you and have products in many stores. I am not affiliated with the company in any way but use their products successfully so thought I’d pass this info along in case anyone wants to try them. Meanwhile, a special thanks to you Wellness Mama for all you do. I receive your emails and often use products mentioned or at minimum, make note for possible future use. This recipe is on next’s week menu–I have cooked for many years so I know it will be good from the ingredient list!